


Burgeoning

by Project0506



Series: Soft Wars [65]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Worldbuilding, gen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Project0506/pseuds/Project0506
Summary: The Vod'alor builds his clan.  Not everyone comes easily.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CC-1010 | Fox, CC-2224 | Cody & CC-1138 | Bacara
Series: Soft Wars [65]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683775
Comments: 46
Kudos: 560





	Burgeoning

**Author's Note:**

> The promised blanket does in fact appear. A nap is insinuated.

It is difficult to say which of them comes easiest.

It could be Ponds, with the quick wit he hides and the late nights they sit together in the Temple’s noisy Ghost dorm, whispering plans under the cover of their brothers’ conversations. It could be Ponds, who grins wide, wide, wide when he asks. Who says ‘try to stop me’ and comes easy to Kote’s arms, forehead to forehead, the way they’ve done thousands of times before.

It could be Wolffe, who hides his insights deep inside sarcasm and wraps his soft heart inside his freely bared teeth. It could be Wolffe who laughs, laughs, laughs when he asks. Who first calls him ‘alor1 and wonders who else he’d dare consider to guard their family. It is Wolffe that drags Kote to him to press together, whose grip on the back of Kote’s neck is the only sign of his relief.

It could be Bly, solid logical Bly who’s always half wished he could be less of both from fear that there’s life he’s missing slipping by in illogical choices. It could be Bly, who they both know has already agreed before he makes Kote lay out every step and defend every plan. Bly meets Kote in the middle, and then quietly pulls his wife in for his ‘alor to acknowledge.

It could be Rex, who punches him in offense when he tries to ask.

It could be all of them, but that’s not the answer of a warrior. Kote had Ponds and Wolffe and Bly and Rex before he knew he needed to have them. He had them the last night they spent on the floor of their dorm in Kamino, when he spit then-assumed toothless promises that he wouldn’t let this be the last they saw each other.

Who is the easiest conquest then?

* * *

Bacara finally comes to him, armed and armored with his three fiercest at his back. He comes riding stormwinds of rage, his pack at his heels hunting the one who dares use their tongue to call himself their lord. Bacara doesn’t come to _bow_.

The Novas are nearly the last to come, but they’re the only Kote has on their knees.

They are magnificent in their fury, they are blades stripped of everything but edge and point. But brittle, so brittle. Teeth clenched in a mockery of fierceness to lock their screams away. Kote shatters the first with a touch of brows. The second goes down with a hand in his hair. The third, no more than a hand to his shoulder. They’ve _broken,_ these the best of the Vode2: cracked along fault lines that they hide under the flash of their weapons.

Kote has never met Mundi. He will never forgive him.

And Bacara, strong brave Bacara who will die on his feet if his men can live another hour, offers everything Kote could have asked and more, if Kote will only promise his men a life if he can and remembrance if he can’t. Bacara gives him everything, doesn’t negotiate for position or favor or resources the way every other commander but Kote’s four little brothers have. Bacara would be Kote’s dog if he asked, if what’s left of his men can come home.

He doesn’t ask for anything for himself.

He keeps his feet with Cody’s shoulder braced against his. He must, he’s all that’s keeping the Novas together and it isn’t worth the selfish curl of pleasured pride for Kote to put him down as well. Kote lets him leave, out of sight of the men who still need to believe him strong while Ghosts piece them together. Cody lets him leave: he’ll not keep his feet much longer.

Quietly, Kote has Ponds elevate him in their burgeoning hierarchy of responsibility, more than equal to anyone who’d sought to elevate themselves. He trusts his brother and his brother’s Torrent to piece this man back together. Once they’ve finished, the force Kote will have at his hands will be _glorious_.

* * *

There’s no question who the hardest is. Fox sends his first messenger back, expertly beaten. Not damaged; for all Fox is who he is, he’s still a brother and would not harm another just to make a point. Hurt though? That he has no problem with.

Wooley heals, quickly and with no lasting effects, but the journey back to Ghost is excruciating even with a sympathetic Guard trooper trying to keep the speeder ride as smooth as possible.

Kote never again sends anyone but himself.

It is a fight that lasts years. Sometimes they talk. Sometimes Kote explains, sometimes Fox listens. Most times they don’t.

They’re trained similarly and are equally matched. Fox’s greater experience and reaction against Cody’s greater strength and tactical planning. Years, and there never is a clear winner. Kote is careful only to ever approach him on his own time. For now, they still both have duties, and often they part too injured to report if they’d been scheduled for duty.

“And what about the troops under your command?” Kote demands, blood streaming from above one eye. “Is this their future too? Forever errand boys for the Republic Senate?”

Fox spits out a mouthful of blood. “Why don’t you just _take them_ then, _alor_?”

It would be easier, Kote knows. Thire and Stone both are visibly tired and growing more weary by the day. Under them, Kote could have the Guard.

Kote is determined to have the Guard, and though it’s been years he will have none but Fox at it’s head.

It ends by accident.

Kote knows Fox’s schedule, knows he’s in bunk. Knows that he’s never once failed to answer the door before. Fox never avoids a fight. Kote breaks in. Fox is thorough, but Bly is worse and Cody has been breaking into Bly’s things since he was a small child stealing snacks.

Head wounds always bleed the worst, and almost always look worse than they are. Fox had been carrying something when he fell, something light spun, dark colored and kilned. The shards have cut into his hands and arms. He’s fortunate; they missed his eyes.

“What do you want?” he slurs when Kote pulls him from the debris. His right leg doesn’t support him, swollen and yellowed with a days-old injury that must have finally given way. His head wound is addressed with liquid stitches and a coldpak.

The same thing he’s always wanted: his brothers to be happy and safe, to grow old in whatever way they like. Kote wipes blood from Fox’s face.

“I don’t need you,” he snarls when Kote picks the shards of a brittle, delicate pottery out of his palms and seals the wounds. His knee joint’s been professionally set, but he’s clearly been ignoring medical advice to stay off of it. Kote binds it tight enough that it can’t bend.

Fox does need him, and Kote had always assumed he was too prideful to acknowledge it instead of too stupid to see it. Kote brings Fox to his bunk, administers the last dose of pain medication from Fox’s medkit.

“Why,” Fox pleads, and Kote presses them together.

“I will take every single brother with me when I go,” he swears. “I don’t accept any alternatives. I will take the Guard, and I will take you too.”

Fox responds, Kote hushes him. He will accept nothing from him tonight, not with a full dose of Percocyn affecting his thoughts. Tonight Cody finds a worn, colorful blanket hidden under the mattress like a dirty secret, wraps Fox and doesn’t let him go.

In the morning, Fox swears. Arms and armor, Mando’a and battlesign, defense and education, brothers and children, aliit3 and Vod’alor4. The Five Paths of the Vode.

(Kote lets none of his brothers swear to Mand’alor. The Vode, he has decided, believe there _is_ no Mand’alor. None who’ve claimed the title have ever given any care for Vode. One day they might walk that Sixth Path to take them that final step to Mando’ade. One day, but that day will be hard-fought. Kote will not give away his people’s loyalty easily.)

“And now?” Fox asks, eyes again clear enough to hold mocking.

“Not yet, you’ll know when.”

Fox grins spite. “And your _orders_ til then, _‘alor_?”

Cody runs a considering eye over him, over his prison-like berth. “Get dressed. I’m taking you for a meal with some actual karking nutrients, and maybe a seasoning or two,” he orders. “And after, come back here and take a Force-damned nap.”

Fox laughs. It’s the first of many he gifts Cody.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Head, Chief. In context, clan head. Back  
> 2\. Brothers. Back  
> 3\. Clan. Back  
> 4\. Author-derived term: Clan head of the Vode. Back  
> 
> 
> The Resol'nare, The Six Actions of the Mando'ade:  
> Wearing armor.  
> Speaking the language.  
> Defending yourself and your family.  
> Raising your children as Mandalorians.  
> Contributing to the clan's welfare.  
> When called upon by the Mand'alor, rallying to his cause.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A True Pledge](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28250400) by [Kaito_Dragneel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaito_Dragneel/pseuds/Kaito_Dragneel)




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